The Sri Lankan military has launched an investigation, after social media posts showed soldiers forcing minority Muslims to kneel in the streets as punishment for violating lockdown rules.
The armed forces ordered Muslim civilians to raise their hands in the air as they kneeled on a road in the town of Eravur, 300 km east of the capital Colombo.
Local residents said they considered it humiliating and insulting, while officials acknowledged that the forces did not have the strength to enforce such punishments.
The victims were on their way to two restaurants to buy food.
“A preliminary investigation by the Military Police has started after certain images spread widely depicting alleged harassment in the Eravur region,” the army said in a statement.
It added that the officer in charge had been dismissed and the soldiers involved had been ordered to leave the town.
The statement added, “The army will adopt the most severe disciplinary measures against all erring members of the army.”
